The killing of a top health insurance executive outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel this month triggered an outpouring of public anger at private health insurance companies. WSJ’s Julie Wernau reports that many doctors are among the aggrieved. And two doctors explain how dealing with health insurers is getting worse. Further Listening: - The Suspect in the UnitedHealth Killing Further Reading: - Doctors Say Dealing With Health Insurers Is Only Getting Worse - Clues Left by a Killer Echo Widespread Anger at Health Insurers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Our colleague Julie Wernow covers health and medicine. And for the last few weeks, she's been writing about the UnitedHealthcare CEO who was shot and killed in midtown Manhattan earlier this month.
This is something that really seems to have struck a chord with almost everyone. It is this singular moment where literally everyone is talking about the same thing.
The killing sparked a broader conversation about the role of insurance companies in the healthcare industry. And that conversation has found its way into Julie's inbox. She's been getting a ton of emails, many of them from people who are frustrated with their insurance companies. And one thing Julie's been surprised by was how many emails she's received from doctors.
Can you just walk us through some of them and like maybe quote a couple?
Let me pull up my very crowded inbox. Just give me one second. Okay, here's one that says medical insurers are out of control. Regulators are worthless.
She read me several of them.
leaves countless patients and doctors outraged. The brazen techniques of UnitedHealthcare, which deny and delay approval and payment, that this is insurer misbehavior at its worst. And it's good to know people are becoming aware of the dangers of over-prioritizing profit over people.
Doctors the journal spoke with made it clear they disavow the shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO. Still, broadly speaking, doctors had two main complaints. One, patients are being denied treatment. And two, doctors are having to fight with insurance companies to get paid. It's something doctors have to deal with every day. And they say both issues are getting worse.
Welcome to The Journal, our show about money, business, and power. I'm Ryan Knudson. It's Thursday, December 19th. Coming up on the show, why doctors are fed up with insurance. How complicated would you say the insurance industry is?
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